Mexico, Processes, Orderly Ideal

Liberty, Order and Progress

On September 16, 1867, the physician and philosopher Gabino Barreda gave his Oración cívica (Civic Oration). He closed it with a motto for the country: “libertad, orden y progreso” (liberty, order and progress), with “el orden como base y el progreso como fin” (order as the base and progress as the goal). Barreda became the first director of the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria.

Under Porfirio Díaz, the repressions of his government were justified with positivism, which proposed “Orden y progreso”. A motto often attributed to Díaz himself is “Poca política y mucha administración” (Little politics and much administration).

As God Commands

Como Dios manda, “as God commands.” The Diccionario del español de México of El Colegio de México defines it as “como se debe hacer, como debe ser” (as it should be done, as it should be). Its example: “No seas cochino y come como Dios manda” (Do not be a slob, and eat as God commands). En forma, “in form,” means as it should be, leaving nothing to be desired: una comida en forma, a proper meal.

The same entry also has a la buena de Dios, “to God’s good will,” which means any way at all: “Hizo la tarea a la buena de Dios” (He did his homework any old way).

A Manual for Every Ministry

Article 19 of Mexico’s Organic Law of the Federal Public Administration says that the head of each ministry “expedirá los manuales de organización, de procedimientos y de servicios al público necesarios para su funcionamiento” (shall issue the manuals of organization, procedures and public services necessary for its operation). The manuals “deberán mantenerse permanentemente actualizados” (must be kept permanently up to date).

The procedure manuals must also be available in an electronic register run by the Ministry of Anticorruption and Good Government.

On the Basis of the Articles

Article 16 of Mexico’s Constitution says that no one may be disturbed in person, family, home, papers or possessions except by a written order of the competent authority “que funde y motive la causa legal del procedimiento” (that states the legal basis and the reasons for the procedure).

The decree of April 17, 2026 that created the Servicio Universal de Salud begins: “Al margen un sello con el Escudo Nacional” (In the margin, a seal with the national coat of arms). President Claudia Sheinbaum then issues it under Article 89 of the Constitution, and “con fundamento en lo dispuesto por los” (on the basis of the provisions of the) articles in a long list of constitutional and federal laws.

Not One Note Changed

Article 39 of the Law on the National Coat of Arms, Flag and Anthem states: “Queda estrictamente prohibido alterar la letra o música del Himno Nacional” (It is strictly prohibited to alter the lyrics or music of the National Anthem). The same article forbids performing it, in whole or in part, in compositions or arrangements.

According to Expansión, Article 56 Quintus sets the sanctions for violations of the law. They include a fine of up to 10,000 times the Unidad de Medida y Actualización, the reference unit for fines, and arrest for up to 36 hours.

Complied With Little or Not at All

In October 2016, the Institute of Legal Research of UNAM surveyed 1,200 households for its Third National Survey of Constitutional Culture. According to a press release of the Supreme Court, 84 percent of respondents said that the Constitution is complied with “poco” or “nada” (little or not at all).

According to Animal Político, one in four respondents thought that breaking the law is not so bad, and that the bad thing is to get caught.